Castles in Moonlight

Saturday, December 27, 2014

I love all the circles quilted in there. Just doesn't look like enough to me. I may have to set it aside and look at it later and see if anything comes to mind.

Did put in a few circles that look like they are behind the first layer. But still doesn't look like enough.

I do like the stencil in the colors. like a piece of string that got away.

So I did 2 lines in the wider strips.

So this was what I was doing over the holidays, besides working on the one in the frame. Had a great Christmas with Terry. We had gotten each other fun things. Laughed so much and then had lamb for dinner! Terry almost didn't get home in time....the weather was bad down in the gulf, so it was later in the day that he got off that. Then he had to change his flights to the day before Christmas. Do you know they charged him over $600 to just change the flights! Outrageous.

I think that so many people go over board with holidays. It pushes time to go by so much faster with all that we think we have to do. I put up stockings and the Christmas cards that we get every year. I didn't get to that yet, so I'll be answering cards in the months to come. You know, when you are snowed in....

The new year is almost here. One year my resolution was to FINISH a project every month or I couldn't start any others. You'd be surprised how many you find in the room that just needs binding or something else. You look at them and try to figure out why you were stuck! I dont' have any resolutions per say. But I am stopping from taking in things from customers. I plan on making my own designs and selling things on line. I have well over 100 quilts here and probably enough fabric to triple that. So some I will post on this blog.

I do know a person who sets up websites...so I'm going to give that a try also. Just don't want to be so busy with selling that I'm not quilting. So when I post something and you are interested, send me an email and we'll talk.

Don't stay up too late on New Year's Eve. You will want to sew straight lines the next day!

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

In the flag, the quilting looks like the flag is waving, and there are whales swimming! Did blue thread in the white, and white thread in the red and blue stripes.

In the center part, did echo quilting aroung all the applique. Turned out really, really nice!

Now I'm basting! I made 2 tops with similar blocks and just set them in differently.

Here's the first one. Looks more like plaid. The other one, I seem to have forgotten to take a picture! But the smaller blocks run in diagonal lines in the quilt.

Now I'm basting this "modern" quilt. Not sure how I will quilt it yet. But the table was cleared off enough that I could baste up the smaller quilts. I get several basted and ready to take to bee every week. They don't get done as fast, but they do get done.

I wasn't feeling good all weekend. But I did get packages wrapped and ready to mail. Got a few other things done, but not a lot of energy. So Monday, I went and worked out. Dragged my butt there. Then stood in line at the post office for 30 minutes to mail packages... then got in at the dr's office. Waited until 11:30 for the 10:45 appointment. I have a UTI.... could barely pee in the cup. Wonder if that could stand for Ulterior motive infection. Nay...I was trying to laugh at myself.

The med that she gave me is pretty strong. So I'm only basting today. Fortunately I don't have to do much, so I'll eat chicken soup for lunch and take a nap. I hate being sick. This one is all inside and just makes you miserable. I'd rather be picking out fabric for something else to start. But if I did that now, no telling how bad it would end up.

So? Do you only start projects when you are in a certain frame of mind? Only good frame of mind? It's easy to start something for a new baby or graduation, or wedding. But if you don't feel good and still want to sew, what do you do?

I read a story in a quilt magazine a long time ago, when they used to put in stories about quilters, and this one woman dyed all her award winning quilts black. Now this was set in a time when they had the great big kettles outside and you had to fill them with water and light a fire under them once a week to wash clothes. Her husband died and she dyed the quilts black. I guess now that I'm older and older members of my family have died, I understand it better than when I was in my late 20's. I still don't think I would do that, but it would be a while before I could work with bright colors.

Sorry for being so dreary just before Christmas. Hubby is at work and I'm dragging around the house. Still have more presents to finish wrapping up. this better be over by next week!!!! I love being happy and making things, so one out of two today is still good.

Don't work too hard these holidays. They are for enjoying and seeing people. If you don't get everything done on that long list, it's ok! In the end everything will be alright. If it's not alright, then it's not the end!

Friday, December 5, 2014

This was a 6 block pack that I got at one of the guild's yard sales...and I made a long table runner out of the blocks. No batting in this one so things don't tip over on the tables.

last two blocks not seen in the picture.

This is the Hawaiian flag quilt that is out of the frame and I'm quilting out to the edges. Just love this one!!!

Put this one in the frame and will get to it very soon!!! Star in the middle and wide borders in Yellow! Very cool older quilt that was saved from never getting done.

And 2 president blocks for 2 different guilds! The deserve at least a block after a whole year of herding cats.... you'll get that in a second....

Still no bedroom furniture yet. And a guy is coming up Monday to put in the last light in the bedroom. Been having a lot of trouble with this light! Still need shelving up in the closet. Not that we have forgotten about this, but all of a sudden, it's holiday time! I'm not ready for all of that!!! Had to hurry up to mail a box to England to fun little relatives! Didn't do the turkey thing, but we went away for that weekend. Went driving at the track near Atlanta. Great time! Love driving. We have another car for the track and I wasnt' used to the car yet. So I did spin off the track at corner one. Stopped the session so they could pull me out of the gravel. Very interesting spinning out! At least I didn't hit the 2 walls close by or damage the car. It did take 2 hours to get all the gravel out from underneath it! It was every where!!!

Then we went to look at the professional photographer's pictures...and she had been behind the second wall...got great shots of the gravel spraying up like a wave. We ordered the CD. What the hell. Got to have proof of the fun! I got really good at the end of the 2 days. This car doesn't have as much horse power as our other car. But in the curvy sections, I was leaving guys in the dust! Making a gap! YEA! Too much fun! There were only 2 women out there. So we have to show off a little bit!

Now back to "reality"...which we will be rewriting the diffinition of that. Got to get back to my favorite thing...quilting! and some Christmas shopping. I usually have everything for Christmas done by now, but things just aren't ready here!

So what?

Life is good. I don't hear from some people all year and I want to send them a card, or call them. Postage is getting so bad, and shipping is worse. Most people have all they need and more, so just letting them know you care and think about them is the best thing you can do.

I will try to down load a picture or two of the car. We really did have fun. Next year's schedule can't start soon enough for driving events!